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(No ModeL) 9 W; OJCODDINGTON.v Whiffletree Hook.

052116.99.- Inventor;

Jim 1 07 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFF CE.

WILLIAM C. OODDINGTON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS OF HIS RIGHT TO CALVIN S. SHRIVER AND HENRY D. SHRIVER,

OF SAME PLACE.

WHlFFLETREE-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,959, dated July 13, 1880. Application filed May 27, 1880. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM O. OODDING- TON, of Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Trace-Holders,

and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to trace-holders such as are commonly used on the ends of whiffletrees to attach the traces to. It is an improvement on that class which are provided with a button upon the end of the holder, the said button being adapted to admit the trace and to be turned after admitting the trace, so as to hold it in place, the button itself being held by a spring drawing it into a notch.

Heretofore various forms of these buttons and springs have been devised in connection with devices for holding the trace-holder to the end of the whiffl'etree. In some of these the spring is inelosed within the button, and in others it is inclosed within a socket which is fitted over the end of the whiffletree.

My object is to avoid the objections which 2 5 in practice have arisen from the forms referred to; and myinvention consists, essentially, of a holder cast in two parts, with a screw-shank fitted to screw into the end of the whiftletree, said two-part socket being provided with an 0 enlarged cavity for the spring and being combined with a spindle and button, which may be cast in one piece, said button being held within a notch by means of the spring, all as hereinafter more fully explained.

In the drawings hereunto attached, Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 a section, of my improved trace-holder.

In these figures a a, represent two sides or parts of the shank and bearing of the holder. 40 They may be cast or swaged in the form in which they are shown, with a screw-thread about the shank, with an enlarged cavity, 1, for the head of the spindle and the spring, and with a smaller cavity, 2, through the bearing 5 part, for the admission of that portion of the spindle not surrounded by the spring.

The bearing portion 1) is limited on one side by a flange, c, which is next to the end of the whiftletree, but is flattened at the other end and enlarged on the sides, as shown at 3 3. A button of corresponding shape (shown at g) turns upon the spindle e, by means of which it is held in place. It may be turned freely upon its spindle so as to be in line with the flattened portion of the bearing of the holder, so as to allow the trace to be slipped onto its bearing, or it may be turned at right angles to hold the trace in its proper place. When so turned the button is drawn into a notch,f, made centrally across the flattened bearing, the button operating in the notch in the usual manner.

The button is held within the notch by means of the spring h, coiled closely about the spindle, and bearing at one end upon the enlarged end of the spindle and upon the other against the end of the enlarged spring-cavity.

This button and spindle, with its enlarged end, may all be cast or swaged entire and the spring coiled upon the spindle after it is completed. One side, a, may be made with small spurs fitting into corresponding holes in the opposite side to keep the parts in proper place when they are put together.

The whole holder therefore consists of but four pieces, and when put together requires no screws, the whole being held securely by the insertion of the shank within the end of the I do not claim, broadly, a trace-holder havin g a button adapted to turn into a notch, nor do I claim the spring in combination therewith, such spring and button having been shown in the patent of Van Wagner, November 6, 1869; but

What I do claim is- The described trace holder consisting of the parts a a, provided with a shank adapted to be inserted in the end of the whiffletree and grooved longitudinally in the manner shown, and provided also with a notch at the outer end, in combination with the button g, spindle 0, having an enlarged end, and spring h, the parts being constructed, combined, and operating as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin g witnesses.

WILLIAM G. OODDINGTON.

Witnesses:

FRANK MIDDLETON, L. W. SEELY. 

